Munson Healthcare System New Provider Orientation: A Year in Review

On July 1, 2021, Munson Healthcare launched a new system orientation process for new providers in alignment with our 2025 strategic goal: To engage providers more directly and substantively in the future of Munson Healthcare. A year later, the new system orientation program is a success having introduced nearly 100 providers to the Munson Healthcare system with 93% of orientees who responded to the post-survey finding it to be valuable.

“We are thrilled with how well our new providers have responded to this program,” said Renae Fogarty, Manager, System Provider Relations. “Both our Provider Services team and physician leadership have really enjoyed being a part of this huge multidisciplinary project and getting to interact real-time with new providers as they’re first coming on board.”

Although each Munson Healthcare system hospital has always provided a new provider orientation, the aim of the system orientation was to establish a Munson Healthcare culture and to align messaging and create efficiencies on sharing the system information. This allowed the community hospitals to focus on what is unique to their organization in the local orientations. Ideally, new providers attend the system orientation before they start and their local hospital orientation on or around their start date.

Although originally intended to be held in-person at a central location, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Orientation Team to pivot and hold each orientation virtually, including pre-recording 11 videos by colleagues and clinical stakeholders. This change in venue turned out to be an improvement on the original plan as it narrowed the provider’s commitment to two hours with no travel time as they can attend from the comfort of their own home.

Program Goal
Develop a standard framework for new provider orientation that includes a Munson Healthcare system-level component and local hospital-level component, meets all regulatory and compliance standards, delivers the right content to the orientee in the right format, and ensures engagement and satisfaction of the orientee and the orientation stakeholders as evidenced by survey results and anecdotal feedback.

In Brief

Next up, the Orientation Team is excited to welcome more new providers to Munson Healthcare. They are also working to fine tune the orientation handbook and feedback survey. And recently the team piloted an in-person orientation for a newly integrated MHC office with several new providers.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Renae began with MHC in 2018 as a System Credentialer and transitioned to Physician Liaison in 2019 after earning her Master of Public Health from Michigan State University. She wore many hats throughout the pandemic; leading the Provider Labor Pool and meeting many real time pandemic needs across all of Munson Healthcare, including working to ensure vaccine access.

Congratulations, Renae!

COVID CORNER

COVID-19 Vaccine for Ages 6 Months – 5 Years
The CDC now recommends that all children 6 months through 5 years of age should receive a COVID-19 vaccine and has updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance for children under age 5. COVID-19 vaccine is now available for this age group at many primary care practices, MHC’s Pediatric Immunization Clinic in Traverse City, and regional health departments.

COVID-19 Vaccine for Children: Provider Talking Points for Parents

• The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have proven themselves to be remarkably safe in young children.
• These vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious illness. Prevention of symptomatic disease varies between 40% and 80% depending on age of the patient and vaccine formulation.
• We commonly give vaccines for which the risk of death is low such as Measles, Influenza, Mumps, and Chicken Pox. This is to prevent the complications of disease (for COVID, that would be long COVID as well as multisystem inflammatory syndrome) and as part of a population-based preventative measure.
• Omicron has been a particularly dangerous variant for children with substantially more hospitalizations and deaths than prior variants.
• Children clearly play a role in transmission. Studies have shown that adults in households with children are much more likely to get COVID.
• The efficacy and safety of Moderna and Pfizer are similar. Parents are encouraged to talk to their Pediatrician about options.
• We have been using vaccines in adults at much higher doses for more than a year now with excellent safety profiles.
• We recommend these vaccines for all eligible children.

For more on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines for children, watch the June 29 Provider Forum with Dr. Chris Ledtke.

Resources:

• CDC COVID-19 vaccine guidance
• CDC At-A-Glance COVID-19 Vaccination Schedules
• COCA Call 6/22/22: Recommendations for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Primary Series in Children 6 Months through 5 Years Old

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Smoking and Tobacco Cessation Programs and Resources

Smoking and tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Some people might need a little help to be successful. Munson Healthcare offers smoking and tobacco cessation classes and programs in locations around northern Michigan and can help connect your patients to other community-based resources.

Munson Healthcare’s Freedom from Smoking Program
The Munson Healthcare Freedom from Smoking program is an 8-week online course designed to help patients finally quit smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco for good. This program has a proven track record – hundreds of thousands of people have become nicotine-free through this group clinic, which offers a structured, practical approach to quitting. Cost of the program is $25 for printed materials. Some scholarships are available.

For details, dates, and to register, patients can visit munsonhealthcare.org/freedom-from-smoking, call 231-392-8487, or send a confidential email.

Munson Healthcare Tobacco Treatment Specialists
For those who prefer one-on-one support to quit smoking, chewing, or vaping tobacco, our Tobacco Treatment Specialists offer individual counseling. They’ll help develop a plan specific to the individual. The cost varies but may be free or include a minimal materials fee.

For a list of tobacco treatment specialists and other local, state, and national smoking cessation programs, visit munsonhealthcare.org/freedom-from-smoking. Another resource for patients is our blog post on "Is It Ever Too Late to Quit Smoking?"

PROVIDER/PRACTICE UPDATES

Name and Address Change for MHC Nephrology Office in TC
MHC’s Nephrology office in Traverse City has a new name “Munson Healthcare Kidney & Hypertension Specialists” and has moved to 3537 W. Front St., Ste. A, Traverse City. Phone and fax numbers remain the same. Dialysis services will remain at 4062 W. Royal Drive, Traverse City.

Provider Moves
The Provider Moves webpage that lists provider moves across the Munson Healthcare system has been updated for June, including new, location changes, retirees, providers no longer on staff (or practicing), and other updates (e.g., name changes, practice moves, new phone and fax numbers).

REMINDER

How to Protect Lab Specimens from the Summer Heat

A reminder to use your office’s insulated specimen drop box (if available) and always place frozen ice packs in your drop box to keep the specimens from getting too hot.

Per Department of VA: No Backdating of Prior Authorizations Permitted
Retro authorizations will no longer be allowed for VA patients. All consults and authorizations for VA patients must be in place prior to the patient presenting in your office for services, i.e., there will be NO BACKDATING of authorizations/referrals.

A reminder that the authorization/date range should include any labs/imaging being done prior to the actual visit associated with that consult.

Questions: Patrice.olivo@va.gov

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Enhanced Find a Doctor Directory Has Launched
We have launched an enhanced Find a Doctor directory with expanded provider information and an improved easy-to-search format. This change is part of our new Consumer Access Solutions strategy.

MHC-credentialed medical staff can now customize their personal online profile with an updated headshot, written bio, and profile video.

Consumers now have an improved search and provider match functionality, which allow patients and their families to more easily select the best provider to fit their needs.

ACTION REQUESTED:

• Provide written bio: If your providers have not already provided their bio to the MHC Physician Liaison team, please ask that they use these guidelines then send to physicianliaison@mhc.net.
• Update headshot: MHC also encourages all credentialed providers to have an updated professional headshot on file. If your providers would like to call and schedule a sitting, here is a list of our contracted photographers. Headshots for credentialed providers are covered by MHC.

Physician Web Scheduler: Create Efficiencies Using Online Scheduling

PWS Benefits   

• Secure, web-based scheduling system
• No cost to your office
• Schedule immediately, no waiting on hold
• Electronically pin an order instead of faxing an order
• View available times from MHC department schedules
• Coordinate upcoming appointments with previously scheduled future appointments
• If a test result hasn’t been received, staff can see if the test was rescheduled or canceled by the patient
• Print patient itineraries that list upcoming MHC outpatient appointments with preparation notes for the exams

• Bone Density
• CT
• EEG
• Fluoroscopy
• Mammography
• Maternity Prepared Stays
• MRI
• Nuclear Medicine
• Rehab Therapy Evaluations
• Respiratory Therapy
• Ultrasound

Munson Healthcare offers PWS at no cost because it increases scheduling efficiencies for both you and us. Quite simply, it is a win-win that helps your office give your patients the best, most efficient care possible.

“PWS streamlines office workflow as it is much more efficient to schedule tests real time versus the delay caused when faxing an order,” said Physician Liaison Samantha Lang.

To learn more about how to implement PWS in your office, please contact Samantha Lang at slang2@mhc.net or visit munsonhealthcare.org/pws to complete the necessary forms.

EDUCATION

New On-Demand CME Courses Available for Providers
MHC CME recently hosted the following CME presentations, which have now been reaccredited for on-demand CME.

• Pediatric Plastic and Maxillofacial Anomalies | John Polley, MD
• Drug Diversion: What’s the Big Deal? | Morgan Wood, PharmD
• OMT in Pediatrics: An overview of common outpatient and inpatient techniques | Jason Schreiber, DO
• Impacts of Digital & Social Media on Children | Stason Vandegrift, MD
• Safety Strategies to Address Violence in the Workplace | John Bolde; J. William Rawlin, DO

To access the on-demand re-licensure CME activities, providers can go to munsonhealthcare.org/CME.

*These activities have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

PROVIDER CME & EVENTS